Dinning room light wont turn on

wess · 29 Nov 2010

Hi all, im new here, this is my first post and hope some one can help with my query.

In my dinning room i have two light switches one at either end of the room. I have removed the light switch at the back of the room and put the 3 exposed wires into a block and decorated over. Now the light switch at the front of the room doesnt work. The light wont switch on. I havent touched the light switch at the front and the 3 wires in the switch all look ok. Is the switch not working because i disconnected the other switch. If so, how do i get the front switch to work the light?

in the switch the wire colours are two blacks and one red. connected into L1, L2 and common

Many thanks.

wess.

Taylortwocities · 29 Nov 2010

Firstly, you must not leave those wires in the wall. They are live and nobody will know they are there.

Just think, you sell the house. The buyer comes in and puts a screw into the wall to hang a picture (how will he know the cable is there). The screw now has 230volts on it. He touches the screw and dies.

Secondly. The wires have to be properly connected. They aren't and that is why your light no longer works. You are going to have to access the cable from the floor above and make some connections under the floor.
Two blacks and one red is a very unusual combination.

I hope you remember which wire went into the C, L1 and L2 terminals of the removed switch?

PrinceofDarkness · 29 Nov 2010

If you temporarily remove a 2-way switch for whatever reason,and you want the light to continue working from the other 2-way switch: then you have to link the common wire to one of the other wires. But if you permanently remove that switch, you mustn't simply cover over those live wires (as TTC has said). The cables have to made safe by cutting back and terminating/linking above the ceiling (in an accessible positon).

An alternative would be to get an electrician in.......

Lucia.

TicklyT · 29 Nov 2010

Your light needs both switches connected to work.

If you can't replace the switch you have removed yet, temporarily connect the wires you took out of terminals L1 and Com together in the same piece of terminal block.

If you are not going to replace the switch, the remaining switch will need re-wiring, and the wiring to the switch you have removed needs isolating properly. It is dangerous to leave live wires buried in a wall with nothing to identify their whereabouts.

wess · 29 Nov 2010

Taylortwocities said:
Firstly, you must not leave those wires in the wall. They are live and nobody will know they are there.

Just think, you sell the house. The buyer comes in and puts a screw into the wall to hang a picture (how will he know the cable is there). The screw now has 230volts on it. He touches the screw and dies.

Secondly. The wires have to be properly connected. They aren't and that is why your light no longer works. You are going to have to access the cable from the floor above and make some connections under the floor.
Two blacks and one red is a very unusual combination.

I hope you remember which wire went into the C, L1 and L2 terminals of the removed switch?

Fortunately i haven't permanently decorated over the old switch. I can gain access to the wires and refit the switch if need be, but i would like to have it covered if possible. Obviously i will know the cable is there and most deffinately wouldnt leave it that way if we ever did decide to move.

If i get access to the old switch wires would this prevent me having to make connections elsewhere? do i need to connect the wires in a specific way to allow the other switch to work?

I could probably post a picture of the wiring in the next few days or so.

DetlefSchmitz · 29 Nov 2010

wess said:
Obviously i will know the cable is there and most deffinately wouldnt leave it that way if we ever did decide to move.

What's that the english say about the road to hell?

You really mustn't cover the live wires over...

PrinceofDarkness · 29 Nov 2010

"Paved with good intentions", they say........

Lucia.

bernardgreen · 30 Nov 2010

wess said:
Obviously i will know the cable is there and most deffinately wouldnt leave it that way if we ever did decide to move.

Sorry but that doesn't work that way. What if someone has to do some work on that wall when you are not at home to tell them about the cables ? They see no electrical fittings on the wall so assume there are no cables in the area.

ban-all-sheds · 30 Nov 2010

wess said:
Obviously i will know the cable is there and most deffinately wouldnt leave it that way if we ever did decide to move.

As soon as you do/did it you will be/were breaking the law, whether you are living there or not.

If i get access to the old switch wires would this prevent me having to make connections elsewhere? do i need to connect the wires in a specific way to allow the other switch to work?

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:two-way-lighting

I could probably post a picture of the wiring in the next few days or so.

No need - just take the trouble to learn how it all works before you do any more fiddling with it and you'll be fine.

wess · 30 Nov 2010

Thank you all for your replies. It made me think whether i was doing the right thing. so i called a friend who knows a bit about electrics.

He came round today and pulled up a few floorboards, pulled a few cables about, tested the cables with his multi meter, chased the wall, filled it, rewired the light and switch...... and whooohoo it now works. No live cables in the wall, and all i have to do now is sand the wall and re-paper. Which im more than happy to do.

I asked him how much i owe for the work, and he would only take £20. You cant beat good friends.

Again, thank you all for your replies. I think i've learnt a lesson this week.

thanks.

wess.

Taylortwocities · 30 Nov 2010

Good job.
And thank you for the feedback!

diynot

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Dinning room light wont turn on

PrinceofDarkness

PrinceofDarkness

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